MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. emphasized the government’s commitment to protecting citizens abroad during his annual State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, citing record-breaking repatriation efforts for overseas Filipino workers caught in the escalating Middle East conflict.
Marcos reported that the government has safely repatriated more than 12,000 workers since the outbreak of hostilities. Additionally, emergency assistance — including food, financial aid, and medical care — has been provided to over 140,000 others remaining in the region.
“This is an important mission of the government since more than 2.5 million Filipinos are working in the Middle East,” Marcos said. “Since the war broke out, we have brought our countrymen home safely.”
The President acknowledged the human cost of the regional instability, noting that some Filipino workers have been killed while others remain missing. To mitigate risks to those still in transit through volatile corridors, Marcos said the Philippines has coordinated with partner nations, including a specific request to Iran to help safeguard Filipino seafarers navigating the Strait of Hormuz.
For those returning to the Philippines, Marcos outlined a shift in strategy from emergency rescue to long-term economic reintegration. He said the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration are utilizing dedicated funds to provide livelihood grants.
The government is also facilitating employment through specialized job fairs and the Public Employment Service Offices. In a specific policy update, Marcos announced that returning Filipino teachers would be fast-tracked for deployment into the country’s public school system.
The Middle East remains a critical economic hub for the Philippines, as remittances from millions of overseas workers serve as a pillar of the nation’s economy. Marcos pledged that government support would be sustained as long as the crisis persists.
